Our congratulations on the "Renewable Energy" special prize
As part of the 40th anniversary celebrations of ÖGUT – the Austrian Society for Environment and Technology – the 38th ÖGUT Environmental Award was presented this year. This evening was a very special one for the Energy Park Research Foundation: for the second time in a row, we had the honor of presenting the special "Renewable Energy" award, recognizing outstanding projects that are driving the energy transition forward with innovative spirit, practical relevance, and vision.
The special "Renewable Energy" award is aimed specifically at initiatives that demonstrate how renewable energy solutions can be implemented in concrete terms, anchored in society, and made effective in the long term—precisely where technological innovation meets people, cities, and living spaces.
This year, the special prize went to the project:
"SmartCity Baumgarten – Mission possible in an energy-efficient, renewable, urban future,"submitted by the EEG SmartCity Baumgarten association in collaboration with LANG consulting – Ing. Günter Lang and WIEBE Wiener Bauträger- und EntwicklungsgesmbH.
Monika Auer (ÖGUT Secretary General), Johannes Schaffer (Energy Park Research Foundation), Theresia Vogel (Energy Park Research Foundation), Günter Lang (LANG consulting), Michael Harasek (Energy Park Research Foundation), René Swirina (WIEBE Wiener Bauträger-und EntwicklungsgesmbH), Markus Lang (LANG consulting), Michael Hannesschläger (Energy Park Bruck/Leitha). © Katharina Schiffl
The award-winning "SmartCity Baumgarten" project impressively demonstrates how the energy transition can be implemented at the neighborhood level. The aim of the project is to create an urban living environment that intelligently combines energy efficiency, renewable energy generation, and shared use. The focus is on a local energy community that enables residents to generate, share, and efficiently use renewable electricity on site.
The combination of photovoltaics, innovative energy concepts, and an integrative planning approach has resulted in a forward-looking model for sustainable urban development. SmartCity Baumgarten is not intended to be an isolated pilot project, but rather a transferable best practice example that shows how climate-friendly energy supply, affordable housing, and a high quality of life can go hand in hand.
We would like to congratulate this year's winning project on this well-deserved award!
A big thank you also goes to all those who submitted entries and were nominated. The diversity and quality of the projects—some of which came from as far away as Tyrol and Carinthia—once again demonstrated how vibrant, committed, and imaginative the Austrian environmental and energy landscape is. Being among the numerous submissions for the top three projects is already a remarkable achievement and made the jury's decision anything but easy.
"As a young research foundation, we are delighted to once again highlight the momentum behind renewable energy and the many promising ideas for a fossil-free, shared future, and to award the Special Prize for Renewable Energy."
- Johannes Schaffer, Chairman of the Energy Park Research Foundation
OUTLOOK - What's next?
This year, the Energy Park Research Foundation participated in the ÖGUT Environmental Award for the second time and was honored to sponsor the special "Renewable Energy" award. The award ceremony was once again an ideal opportunity for our members to learn about exciting projects and engage in conversation with dedicated project managers.
We will continue to use this platform in the future to raise awareness of projects in the field of renewable energy. That is why we will once again be supporting the special "Renewable Energy" award as part of the ÖGUT Environmental Award 2026 next year.
- Further details on this impressive project can be found in the project description.
- More information about the event and the award-winning projects can be found in the official press release from ÖGUT.
Reinforcing knowledge transfer 
